The Way of Basketball: Never Talk Shit to Him!
Chapter 34 - 33 Su Wan, Just Another One!

Chapter 34: Chapter 33 Su Wan, Just Another One!

Because today was a "back-to-back," Paul Silas had cancelled the regular practice, and at 3:30 in the afternoon, all the members of the Cavaliers gathered in the hotel lobby and took a bus straight to the American Airlines Arena.

Newell saw Su Wan coming out of the elevator and took the initiative to greet him, "Rookie, how’s it feeling?"

He was referring to Su Wan’s chest that was bruised and purple last night.

Su Wan waved it off as nothing serious, "A good night’s sleep and it’s all good!"

"You really are tough, daring to speak like that about LeBron in front of the media!"

Newell lowered his voice, as he had also seen the reports.

Not just him, when Su Wan came out of the elevator, he noticed that others were also looking at him, their expressions varied, each harboring their own thoughts.

Su Wan seemed even more indifferent than before, "I just told the truth, I love telling the truth! If you’re afraid of upsetting LeBron, you can stay away from me."

Newell shook his head and said with a conciliatory smile, "That’s not what I mean, brother, I’m just worried about you!"

After getting on the bus, Su Wan sat in the very center of the last row, with Calderon sitting to his left, and Newell sat down to his right. But when "Big Z" got on, he also headed to the last row of the bus, and seeing his tall frame, Su Wan gave up the central seat, which also had the most space, to him, squeezing Calderon into the seat next to the window.

The four of them sat in the last row.

As other people got on the bus, they sat in groups of threes and twos.

The separation was very pronounced.

It clearly looked like a number of "small teams."

LeBron James was the last one to board the bus.

He always seemed to highlight his status on the team with this kind of tactic.

For his showy entrance, Su Wan was not unfamiliar, and right now, he was relatively restrained. In the future, when he has made a name for himself, he would dare to run alone through the players’ tunnel to strike a pose even if it wasn’t time for the playoff halftime yet.

The camera sense followed him throughout his professional career.

It was truly a waste not to become an actor!

Su Wan’s gaze did not linger on him; in less than a second, his attention returned to "The Eight Trigrams" he was carrying with him. The entertainment facilities of this era were too primitive; gaming consoles still required cartridges, and phones, besides texting and calling, would turn any picture taken into a mosaic. To pass the time on the road, he had Bill Duffy prepare some novels for him, and he was currently reading "The Eight Trigrams," with "Swordsman" also in his bag.

He wasn’t looking at LeBron, but LeBron’s gaze was on him, or to be precise, on the last row of the bus for a long time.

Seeing "Big Z" also in that row, he frowned slightly:

Zha Zhunas has joined as well?

LeBron felt insecure again...

An awkward situation:

After the Cavaliers management traded away Ricky Davis and let Bozer go, the Cavaliers’ roster was essentially rebuilt. The Cavaliers from two years ago were not the same team as they are now.

This meant there was no longer any discussion of seniority on the team.

It made it much easier for LeBron to ascend to power.

But, being newcomers themselves, LeBron did not have his own clique.

He was the nominal "boss" of the Cavaliers, but almost all the players were waiting to see him demonstrate his abilities and put on a performance that would earn their respect.

Only then would they truly recognize LeBron and acknowledge his status.

This was something the management could not achieve with any trade; it had to be done by LeBron himself!

Originally, LeBron was quite confident.

But now...

"LeBron, over here!"

Anderson Varejao called out to him and pointed to the seat next to him, meaning: I’ve saved you a spot. Meanwhile, the other players just turned to glance at him before immersing themselves back in their own business.

Including the four in the back row!

Su Wan’s clique was beginning to take shape, while the only one he had was Anderson as his lackey.

You tell me, could he not be nervous?

"Uncle, did you rest well?"

LeBron didn’t immediately head towards the seat by Varejao, instead, he started chatting with Su. As soon as he spoke, everyone else instinctively looked up at the two.

"Not bad!"

"That’s good, uncle, let’s continue to push hard tonight and score another great victory. If we beat Dwyane on a back-to-back, we’ll have enough to tease him for a while, don’t you think, uncle?"

"I think so too!"

Both men revealed smiles at the same time.

This scene made all the Cavaliers players’ skin crawl:

The atmosphere was just too awkward!

So awkward it made their scalps tingle!

Paul Silas was equally disgusted, but inside, he breathed a sigh of relief. At least on the surface, the two could maintain peace.

LeBron was the one who took the initiative.

That was the most important sign!

As long as he still wanted to coexist peacefully, the relationship between the two men could be smoothed over, even if it was a bit delicate at the moment.

LeBron still matured!

Paul Silas looked into the eyes of the "Chosen One," appreciative. From his perspective, it was Su Wan who was stirring things up; he shouldn’t have said those things in front of the media:

This rookie is good in every way, just too sharp-tempered!

If LeBron heard Paul Silas’s thoughts at that moment, he would definitely have to refrain from smiling:

Yes, yes, yes, that’s the way to think about it!

It has to be thought of like that!

LeBron knew very well that if he publicly broke with Su now, and if things went sour in the end, they would both be chastised equally.

But if he continued to endure and praised Su Wan in front of the cameras, while Su Wan remained relentlessly aggressive?

LeBron could be certain:

Even if the Cavaliers truly traded Su Wan, the outside world would consider it Su Wan’s fault for not understanding his place. LeBron had been tolerant enough, always speaking well of him, and yet he continued to escalate things!

Exactly!

The outcome would certainly be like that!

Because Ricky Davis left Cleveland in the same way last season.

His line "I thought LeBron was here to assist me" became an NBA-classic "joke!"

Su Wan...

Just another one!

The silent car ride became even quieter after the odd "warm chat" between Su Wan and LeBron. About an hour later, the American Airlines Arena came into view outside the bus.

The game was still three or four hours away, but the "fan wave" outside the arena was relentless.

Such a lively scene!

No wonder, since the rebuilding that began in 2000, it took the Heat Team only three years to return to the playoffs. Dwyane Wade, picked in the first round and fifth overall in ’03, emerged as a "cornerstone," leading the Heat team all the way to the semifinals that rookie season, casting a bright future for Miami.

But Heat fans didn’t expect more good news to come in the summer:

Pat Riley used two or three key players to bring from Los Angeles the League’s current top warrior, the "three consecutive championships MVP" Shaquille O’Neal.

The Heat’s roster had significantly upgraded, leaping to become the league’s hottest "Championship Team." Before the new season started, ESPN ranked them first in league power rankings.

Some teams are built to chase championships from the outset.

The Heat were such a team now.

LeBron looked at the poster of Shaquille O’Neal alongside Wade, full of envy.

His buddy had such good fortune, entering the team in his first year and being pampered by the veterans. Unlike himself, who had to earn his spot as the "boss" with hard work.

And now...

The general manager had brought him a partner like Shaquille O’Neal!

And look at the Cavaliers’ general manager?

Picking such an ambitious rookie, creating obstacles at every turn, preventing him from being fully himself!

If only he had Shaquille O’Neal...

How great that would be!

Wade didn’t know his good buddy was eyeing his partner.

When he saw LeBron before the game, he warmly opened his arms.

Of course, he wasn’t just warm to LeBron.

He was equally warm to Su Wan, "It’s a real shame this time; you guys are back-to-back, and I don’t have the time to host you properly! Next time, when you come to Miami again, I’ll definitely show you what Miami’s fiery hospitality is like!"

Su Wan chuckled in response, thinking to himself:

No need to be so enthusiastic!

He was aware of just how wild the "victory party" hosted by Wade and Shaquille after winning the championship could get. Even the cleaners were shocked the next day, finding BYT all over the place.

The scene was simply...

However, the aftermath was significant:

After winning the championship, both Shaquille O’Neal and Wade faced serious injuries in the first season, leading to the Heat team being swept 0-4 in the playoffs and becoming the first defending champion to be eliminated in the first round since 2000.

How could he dare let Wade be their host?

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